


No Greater Love

by Rachaelizame



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Treat, and I may put a new chapter featuring flashbacks to the how it all happened, but the prompt wasn't especially shippy, so this isn't very shippy yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 10:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12386424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachaelizame/pseuds/Rachaelizame
Summary: Korkie Kryze knows Aunt Satine is reluctant to tell him who his father is. He should listen, and wait for her to be ready. But, like his father, he's a little bit reckless.





	No Greater Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IluvPasteisdeBelem](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IluvPasteisdeBelem/gifts).



Korkie knew “Aunt” Satine was really his mother. His adoptive mom had told him a few weeks ago. She'd admitted her sister-in-law Satine had him as a young woman, and given him to her brother, who was older and married, but had no interest in politics, and his wife.

Ever since then he'd been trying to find his father. He loved his adoptive parents, don't get him wrong, but he needed to know. Needed to meet his biological parents as well.

He was going through report after report and article after article and video after video of his aunt’s time as a young woman to determine who it might be. It was hard because she'd been on the run then. It could be anyone.

He had figured out how she'd hidden the truth. Mandalorian mourning clothes. Big and bulky, what better way to show life was disrupted then by forcing people to wear around those? She’d worn them in a “ceremonial” fashion after her return, something he had to admit was clever. No one would be able to see her pregnancy under that, and when she took a leave of absence right around his birth, well, who could blame the new duchess the stress of the position?

So. Back to his father. Mom- his real mom, the one who’d raised him, had her suspicions, Korkie knew her well enough to know that. But she wouldn't say anything, probably because he doubted Aunt Satine confirmed it for it. She was a private person, his aunt, and though she trusted his mom, they weren't especially close.

Which meant either it was someone Satine had been close to or mom was wrong and it was a one-night-stand. Korkie shuddered at the thought of his aunt doing something like that. He wasn't judgmental, but it was his aunt! Worse, his biological mother!

So he was hoping to find proof she'd reconnected with one of her allies and friends around nine months before his birthday.

But he had yet to find it. The only ally she'd reconnected with that particular few weeks was a dark-skinned man who clearly couldn't be his father, because of simple genetics.

He found a new holo video, one that showed her arrival with her Jedi guards on a planet in the Outer Rim. He hadn't seen the Jedi guards before. There were few videos of their time on the run, and none had yet included the Jedi. Korkie watched the first man leave the ship in interest. He'd always been curious about the Jedi, much to his classmates confusion. They had no real animosity to them, for the most part, the old Mandalorian/Jedi feud slowing dying, but they had no real interest either.

Korkie did. He didn't know why, they just seemed fascinating. After the tall man with the long hair exited the ship, his aunt left, looking so much younger than he'd ever seen except in these videos the past few weeks. So vulnerable, but he could see her strength buried inside her too.

After her came the other Jedi, the student, if reports were accurate. Korkie peered at him, hard to see through the fuzz of old holo footage. When he finally got a good look, his eyes widened, and he dropped his data pad in shock.

-

Korkie needed answers. Now. That young man looked so much like him it was like looking at a sibling, if he'd had one. He started his trek to the palace with haste, desperately wanting to know the truth.

-

He stared as a building exploded nearby, starting to run towards the sound. When he'd reached it, he saw his Aunt and her Jedi visitor- a man he now recognized as the same man from the holos- standing over a dying man. Satine said the final words, and he was gone.

After a brief conversation between the two, they turned as one to head back to the palace, spotting Korkie as they did so.

“Korkie!” Satine cried out at seeing him. “What are you doing here?” Korkie was too busy staring at the dead body to recognize she was speaking to him. He'd never seen one before. Death was a lingering part of Mandalore, but most who had died young had died before or just after he was born.

He didn't notice the pair coming up to him until the Jedi was gently turning his head away from the sight.

“Are you alright?” The Jedi said.

“Alright? Of course he isn't! A man just died in front of him!” Aunt Satine said, taking his face in her hands. It wasn’t the first time Korkie had seen her since finding out the truth, but it felt like it with this new information. He tried not to stare at the Jedi.

“No, I-I’ll be okay, Auntie.” He said, forcing himself to sound sure of himself.

“This is your nephew then?” The Jedi asked. Satine hesitated for the barest of a second, probably not long enough for a man who hadn't seen her in years to tell, even if that man had once known her well.

“Yes. Korkie. My brother Aluniz’s child. He took him in a few months after he was born.” Korkie knew that at least was the truth. Satine had kept him nearby for the first few months of his life and visited frequently afterward.

“Really?” The Jedi seemed surprised.

“You didn't think Aluniz would do be willing to take in a child?”

“No, it's not that,” he retreated at Satine’s angry tone. “It's just- he looks like you. Like he's part of the family biologically.”

Korkie let in a sharp breath. It was the first time someone had ever told him he looked like his mother. Most didn't know the truth, and those who did often said he must take after his father. He could see why they would say that, but to hear he looked like his mother as well was astounding. He took attention off that involuntary gasp by speaking.

“It's nice to meet you Master…”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Satine introduced. “Meet my nephew Korkie Kryze.” Obi-Wan nodded and smiled.

“Good to meet you as well, Korkie.”

“Now, what were you doing over here, Korkie? The Academy is blocks away.”

“I was coming to see you Aunt Satine. I wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?” Satine asked, resuming their walk to the palace.

“It's not important.” Korkie said, just barely holding in the urge to glance back at Master Kenobi as he said it. “We can talk later.

“That would probably be for the best.” Satine admitted. “Master Kenobi and I are headed to Concordia.” Korkie nodded, a little perturbed. His classmates always said Concordia was haunted by the ghosts of the criminals sent there, but he didn't believe in such things.

“Alright. We can talk when you get back.”

-

But when she got back, she was exhausted from the adventure. Korkie stopped by anyway. He edged into her chambers slowly.

“I know it's late Auntie, but I have to know. Who is my father?”

“Korkie, I really would not like to talk about this. Maybe when you're older, or when I haven't just rescued Master Kenobi from being crushed to death.”

“Auntie, please!”

“Korkie, I said no! Please don't make me speak of this!”

Korkie wanted to argue further but he saw the slump to her shoulders and gave.

“Alright. Can I stay in the palace tonight? I don't have class tomorrow and it's a long way back to the Academy.”

“Yes of course. Your room is made up, as always.”

-

The next day, Korkie woke up late. He was usually a pretty early riser, but he'd been up late examining more footage of his aunt. She and Kenobi seemed close. That added to his theory. But then he didn't know anything for sure.

And that was the problem wasn't it. He didn't know. He needed to know.

He got dressed and headed out to find his aunt. If he could only explain to her…

He found her on the docking platform, walking away from Master Kenobi, and he jogged after her.

“Aunt Satine!” He called. She turned to face him.

“Korkie. I'm headed to Coruscant for a few days. We can talk when I get back, I promise.”

Korkie listened to her in horror. A few days? How could he possibly wait that long? A part of his mind pointed out he'd already waited three weeks, but with this new knowledge it seemed so much worse.

And, a part of him began to whisper, Coruscant is probably where the Jedi will leave. He'd never get a chance to actually meet Kenobi, if the man turned out to be his father after all.

He nodded, a plan already formulating in his mind. After Satine had left, he snuck to his room on the Coronet. There were many guests rooms on the ship, and he and his parents had a section of the ship to themselves.

That section was only accessible to his family by bioscan. And the ship had already been brought to the palace dock, so it had already been sweeped once. No one should notice him if he went there until it was too late to be stopped. And he could always just tell them who he was if they did, and claim he had permission to be there. It wasn't uncommon for him to tag along on his aunt’s political missions. Everyone thought it was a great chance for him to pick up some political acumen.

As he walked he heard a guard come close to his position. He prayed they wouldn't step closer as he slipped around a corner and into his room.

And they didn't. He breathed a sigh of relief, as he settled on his bed, pulling out a book on his data pad. He might as well get some homework done while he was here.

-

Anakin heard a shuffling as he was looking for the assassin droids, and stepped forward, lightsaber held at the ready. He found a scared looking kid at the end of it.

“Kid? What are you doing here?” Anakin asked, the strangely familiar looking boy.“Are you a stowaway?”

“No! I mean, I suppose yes. But my aunt's the Duchess. I'm not some random kid or anything.”

Anakin sighed. The kid seemed roughy Ahsoka’s age, maybe a little younger. Then again, he was terrible at guessing kid’s ages. And Ahsoka seemed so much older than all her peers. Still he had to get the kid out of here.

“There's assassin droids down here, and I don’t think they're programmed to spare teenagers. Come with me. I'll get you to your aunt.”

He pulled out his comm link to message Obi-Wan, his hand almost dropping the comm when he realized why this kid looked so familiar. He thought back to his and Obi-Wan’s conversation in the elevator and froze. It couldn't be. Obi-Wan wouldn't…

Still, he guarded the kid extra carefully as they made it to the elevator. Even if he wasn't… someone who deserved special attention from Anakin, he was still a Mandalorian, and those guys were crazy. Who knew what he'd do?

-

Korkie watched as the other Jedi froze before speaking to Kenobi, and the Jedi’s expression as they walked toward the elevator. He knew. And Korkie knew he knew. He wasn't crazy to think it was a possibility, after all, if this guy could see it too.

-

Obi-Wan headed down the hallway to get Satine’s nephew from the elevator. He met Anakin and the boy halfway down the hallway.

Korkie was looking at him strangely again. Did Satine tell him about their… past? Why was he looking at him like that?

“Korkie, why did you come aboard this ship?” He asked.

“I had to talk to my aunt about something.” Korkie said. There was that again.

“About what?” Korkie hesitated for a long moment before speaking.

“My biological father.”

“Oh.” Obi-Wan was surprised, but not unduly so. That seemed a common interest among children who were raised by someone other than their parents. “Did Satine know him?”

“Yes.” Korkie said shortly. They fell into an awkward silence just before reaching the door to the dining room. Obi-Wan could feel Satine’s worry from here, and quickly ushered Korkie in.

Satine ran to Korkie, pressing his head to her shoulder in a hug.

“If you wanted to know this badly, you should have just told me.”

Korkie refrained from telling her that he had tried.

-

Anakin pulled Obi-Wan aside from the emotional moment between Korkie and Satine to speak with him. He showed him the transport manifest.

“One of our four distinguished senators appears to be a traitor.” Anakin said.

“I sense it too,” Obi-Wan responded, looking to where Satine and Korkie were conversing with the senators briefly before his attention was drawn to one of the smaller assassin droids was skittering about.

“It looks like on of our little visitors is still alive. I have an idea how to expose the turncoat. Return to the hull of the ship. Destroy the last of the assassin droids. I’ll find out which of the senators is the traitor.”

-

“Interesting. The droid displays unusual hostility toward the honorable Kin Robb. But it seems to like you, Senator Merrick.” Obi-Wan said.

Korkie, standing at his aunt’s side, turned astonished eyes on Merrick. He’d known the man for years, trusted him. But he could think of no other reason why the droid would behave this way.

“Well, Prince?” 

“Really, General Kenobi, you’re quite clever.” Merrick said, before moving suddenly and knocking the droid free. Korkie drew back, his hand reaching out protectively toward his aunt, despite the fact that really, with no weapon, he could do nothing against the droid.

A brief bit of chaos ensued, during which Obi-Wan destroyed the droid. Korkie saw Merrick coming up behind them from the corner of his eye, and, impulsively, pushed Satine away just as Merrick reached for her.

“Interesting.” Merrick said, as he grabbed Korkie instead. “But certainly workable. You’re coming with me.” He dragged Korkie to the door.

“No!” Satine gasped, and Obi-Wan turned to take in the scene. But Merrick was already gone.

-

Merrick killed the pilots and officers on the flight deck. Korkie gasped in alarm at the visible proof that someone he trusted was this… this…

“Monster!” He finally said.

“Get used to it.” Merrick responded.

“What do you want with me?” Korkie asked.

“We were going to take your aunt, make her sign the throne over to us or kill her to gain legitimacy. But you’ll work too. She’ll do anything for her precious nephew.”

“My aunt will never sign Mandalore over to Death Watch!” Korkie shouted.

“Oh, she will. Or if not, I’ve got a back up plan. And for that, any hostage will do.”

-

Satine and Obi-Wan rushed down the corridor, trying to find Merrick. Obi-Wan had relayed the news to Anakin, but they had lost Merrick when he told them to stay back or he’d kill Korkie.

Obi-Wan almost wanted to continue, thinking him bluffing, but he wouldn’t risk the boy’s safety when he wasn’t sure what Merrick’s mentality was.

They passed by her quarters, and Obi-Wan stopped.

“Satine, stay here. I’ll find Merrick.” He said.

“No! I can’t leave Korkie!”

“I know you’re worried for your nephew-”

“No, you don’t understand!” Satine retorted. “He’s not my nephew.” Obi-Wan frowned, about to ask when she continued.

“He’s my son.” She hesitated, unsure if she should tell him the whole truth, not wanting to distract him from saving Korkie, but finally she continued, knowing she couldn’t let this situation go on without telling him the truth. She couldn’t let him not know what was at risk. “And yours.”

The whole world seemed to stop. Obi-Wan knew he was standing still, but it still felt like he’d been running and come to a sudden stop. The shock of the situation was such that everything seemed to be suspended in a moment of pure revelation.

“You- my son?” Obi-Wan stammered, unable to find more words, but needing the confirmation, needing to know he’d understood correctly. At Satine’s nod, he felt his shoulders slump, and a sudden rush of fear flooded his body. He’d been worried for the boy before, of course, but this was new. He was surprised by its intensity. He’d only known the boy was his a few moments, but already he cared. He pushed the fear into the Force as best he could.

He nodded, straightening his shoulders.

“Let’s go.”

-

They met up with Anakin once again.

“Did you find them?” Obi-Wan was surprised at the emotion in his voice as he spoke, though Anakin didn’t seem to notice.

“No, but I’ve stationed troopers at every escape pod.”

They began to walk, making it to the elevator. Anakin was watching Satine and Obi-Wan strangely. He seemed about to say something, but dropped it after a moment of thought.

When they’d left the elevator, the ship was shaking and clones were running toward the sound of alarms.

“I’ll take care of this, Obi-Wan. You, go find the boy.”

“Right.” Obi-Wan said, and ran off, Satine just behind him.

-

They found Merrick on the flight deck, and Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber as he greeted them.

“Come in, Kenobi, Duchess.” He sneered. “You’re expected.”

“Tal Merrick, you are under arrest. Release the boy.” My son… he wondered as he said it, trying not to focus on that thought and instead keeping watch on Merrick. He couldn’t help but examine the boy as well though. He had new eyes for him now that he knew what he knew, and he wanted to make sure Korkie was unharmed.

“Hmm. I took the precaution of wiring the ship's engine to explode. I press this remote, we all die.” Obi-Wan was surprised by his emotions yet again as anger blazed through him along with a fragment of a thought. Mine. Don’t hurt what’s mine. He drew his focus forward again, as Satine moved beside him.

“Then take me instead.” Satine surged forward to say. Obi-Wan turned to her.

“No! Satine, you can’t!” He burst out.

“Do you think I’d allow this man to threaten my family when all he wants is me?” Satine asked.

“Exchanging one hostage for another won’t do any good.” Obi-Wan tried to convince her. “We need to find a way to stop him.”

“No. This is the only way.” Satine said, determined. “Goodbye, Obi. I’ve loved you, always.” She turned to Merrick, who was staring at them, stunned.

“Satine…” Obi-Wan hesitated, before saying the words, determined to tell her the truth if she insisted on risking her life. “Had you said the word, I would have left the Jedi Order.” Satine smiled and kissed his cheek before she let Merrick take her, he releasing Korkie back to his father.

“Korkie, stay here.” Obi-Wan commanded as Merrick dragged Satine out of the room.

“You realize this does nothing, correct?” Merrick gloated. “The minute I get away I can still kill him.”

“You won’t. Not if you want my cooperation.”

“Your cooperation isn’t necessary, Duchess.” Merrick said.

The three continued down the corridor, coming to the escape pod Merrick intended to use to escape. Merrick, grinned, giving Obi-Wan one last gloating look.

“Duchess, I’m feeling kind today. Would you rather die here when I blow up the ship, or be killed personally by Death Watch?”

Before Satine could make a retort, a blue blade speared through Merrick’s chest, carefully positioned to avoid Satine.

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a grateful, though slightly annoyed, look.

“What? He was gonna blow up the ship!” Anakin said in response to that.

After that, things moved very quickly, as Rex and Cody came to tell Anakin the droids were destroyed. Obi-Wan turned to Satine. He didn’t know what to say. So much had been revealed today, and he didn’t know what to do with it all.

“I should go check on Korkie,” Satine muttered finally. Obi-Wan nodded.

“Certainly.”

-

Obi-Wan stood awkwardly in Korkie’s bedroom, waiting in the doorway. He watched Korkie startle as he caught sight of him.

“Hello.” Obi-Wan began, unsure where he should go with the sentence. He really shouldn’t be talking to the boy, but he just couldn’t bring himself to stay away.

“Hi.” Korkie responded, waving quickly. “Auntie told me… the truth.”

“That I am your… father.” Obi-Wan said, after a moment of pause. Korkie nodded, and gestured for Obi-Wan to sit beside him on the bed. Obi-Wan did so, then resumed speaking. “I’ll admit, I don’t quite know what to say here. Really, being a Jedi, I shouldn’t be speaking with you at all.”

Korkie seemed confused and hurt by his words, so Obi-Wan hurried to explain.

“Jedi are not allowed to form… attachments, such as that between a parent and child. If I did as the Council would have me do… Well first, if I had done as I was supposed to, you wouldn’t exist. But as you do, I am supposed to ignore you. To pretend this never happened.”

“But you’re not.”

“I… felt that you deserved the opportunity to speak with me if you wished to.” Korkie deflated even more, which made Obi-Wan feel just terrible, so he forced himself to speak the next words.

“And I wanted to meet you.”

“Really?” Korkie’s skepticism betrays a woundedness, a vulnerability, but it’s not as bad as Obi-Wan feared it would be.

“Yes. I was… quite concerned for your safety today. I wanted to ensure you were alright.”

“Is that all? Or are you just being repressed? Aunt Satine told me you don’t like to talk about these things, but I hope you can understand that I kind of need to know.” Obi-Wan chuckled in surprise at Korkie’s bluntness, then sighed heavily. He owed it to this boy to be honest.

“No. That wasn’t the only reason. Checking on someone after they are in danger is something I might do for anyone. But you… are not just anyone to me.”

Korkie’s eyes softened and he lunged forward to hug Obi-Wan. He stood ramrod still, startled, but he could appreciate the touch. After a moment, Korkie pulled back.

“From what Auntie told me, that means a lot, coming from you. I think I get it.”

“Good. I hope… that you can understand. What you mean to me is hard to articulate. But that doesn’t mean, well, that I don’t feel anything.” Obi-Wan sighed in relief when the sentence was completed, and Korkie grinned.


End file.
